Total fluke, but I ended up with a killer deal on a Certified Pre-Owned car just by being curious at the right time.

I was at a Kia dealership looking at a different car when I noticed an older lady walking out, visibly frustrated. I casually asked why she was leaving, and she told me the dealer lowballed her trade-in offer — they were offering her $9,000, but she was hoping for $10,000.

On a whim, I suggested this:
What if the dealer gives you the $10K you want and sells the car to me for $10K?
She was interested, so we both went back into the dealership and pitched it.

To my surprise, the dealership was on board. I financed through them, which probably made it more appealing for them to agree. The lady still got her full $10K and got to keep her trade-in tax credit toward the new vehicle she was purchasing.

Meanwhile, I ended up with what looks and feels like a brand-new car:
	•	2021 Kia Forte LXS
	•	43,000 miles
	•	Interior still had factory plastics and even one of the shipping bumper blocks on the door
	•	Clearly babied — it looked like it rolled straight off a factory transport truck

As a precaution, I had the CVT transmission serviced right away. So far, it’s been great. I’m mainly using it as a secondary car for better gas mileage.

Best part?
The dealer certified it (CPO) at no extra cost.
Total out-the-door price with tax, title, and DMV fees: just under $13,000.

Wild deal, totally unplanned. Moral of the story: talk to strangers walking out of dealerships — you never know when a casual conversation might turn into a win-win for everyone.

Scored an Amazing CPO Deal Completely by Accident — Walked Out with a Like-New Car for Under $13K now part of the forte family